As to why, I think some of it has to do with the fact that training for oral surgeons has traditionally been in wider bodied implants, 3.0 mm or wider in width, using a two-phase surgical approach. This is also the technique with which most general dentists are comfortable.
So if a general dentist refers his patient to the oral surgeon, he is expecting to work with an implant that he knows how to restore, which means the placement of a post and a crown. These techniques in dentistry have been around for quite a while now, and most general dentists are familiar with the restorative techniques involved with this wider
implant therapy.
On the other hand, if the surgeon returns a patient to a general dentist with a narrow one-piece dental implant, it is not what the general dentist expected and consequently
he may be uncomfortable about the restoration. Therefore, in the future, he may no longer refer to that oral surgeon, resulting in a potential loss of income for that oral surgeon.
Additionally, when mini dental implants first came out, they often had a polished surface which did not allow for actual integration into the bone. As a result, many oral surgeons still believe that these implants do not integrate, even though they now have similar surfaces to other implants. The truth is that there are mini dental implants that are 2.9mm in diameter and wide body implants which are 3.0mm in diameter. It is unproven if the body can tell the difference.
There is much research showing a high rate of success with narrow one- piece implants, yet there are patients for whom narrow implants are not a good choice. You need more height of bone, and often you need a greater density of bone, which is not always present. Additionally, there are situations where mini implants may be more susceptible to failure due to the fact that the patient grinds his teeth.
The fact is that when you place a mini dental implant into the bone, and there is a post, which is part of the implant itself and which sticks up ¼” into your mouth, there will be more immediate forces on the implant. This is called immediate load. This may not allow the implant to integrate into the bone as well and could result in implant failure.
These are situations which need to be evaluated and because of this we offer a no charge consultation to evaluate and discuss each patient’s individual situation. For further information please visit: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Todd+Schatkin%2C+Samuel+Schatkin%2C+Benjmin&btnG=&hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22.